The Shoulder
The Shoulder
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Car accidentsgenuine-badger-449

Car was fine after the crash, now won't start two days later — is this normal??

So I got rear-ended on my way to work earlier this week. The impact wasn't catastrophic or anything — more of a solid thump than a full-on crunch — but the other driver definitely hit me at highway speed while I was slowing down for a red light.

Afterward I pulled over, we exchanged info, I drove home totally fine. Next morning I drove it to work, no issues. Then on day three the car just... died. Won't crank, dashboard lights are acting weird, and the push-button start is completely unresponsive. Nothing. It's like the car forgot it had a battery.

I called a tow to get it to a shop but now I'm spiraling a little because:

1. The other driver's insurance already sent me a "goodwill" payment offer and told me the claim is basically resolved 2. I haven't signed anything yet but they're being really pushy about it 3. I have NO idea if the electrical weirdness is crash-related or coincidence

My car is barely two years old. There's no way this is just a random failure that happened to show up 48 hours after someone plowed into me.

Has anyone dealt with delayed damage showing up after a crash? Like damage that wasn't obvious at the scene but surfaced a couple days later? I'm worried that if I accept this offer before the shop diagnoses everything, I'm going to be stuck paying for repairs out of pocket.

Also — do I have any recourse if the shop finds crash-related damage that the insurance isn't accounting for? Feeling pretty lost here.

10replies

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10 replies

  • 12
    kind-finch-745

    DO NOT sign anything yet. I made that exact mistake — accepted a quick offer, then a week later my transmission started slipping and the shop said it was definitely impact-related. Insurance basically laughed at me because I'd already settled. Delayed damage is super real, especially electrical stuff.

  • 9
    mellow-heron-737

    That "goodwill payment" language is a red flag. Adjusters are trained to close claims fast before you discover hidden damage. The pressure they're putting on you is a tactic, not a courtesy. The moment you cash that check or sign a release, you're almost certainly done — even if your car needs thousands more in repairs.

  • 7
    gentle-otter-767

    I used to work claims and honestly, quick-offer calls go out almost automatically on rear-end cases before a full inspection happens. It's not malicious every time, but it IS designed to close files cheaply. Electrical gremlins showing up a day or two post-impact are actually pretty common — a jarred connector or a damaged module doesn't always fail immediately. Get the shop to put in writing whether the damage is consistent with a collision event. That documentation matters a lot.

    • 6
      quick-dove-783

      The good news is you haven't signed anything yet — that's genuinely the best position to be in right now. A lot of people come here after they've already accepted a lowball offer. You still have options.

  • 12
    kind-otter-720

    A few practical things: First, don't sign any release or accept any payment until you have a written repair estimate that accounts for all identified damage. Second, ask the shop specifically to note in their report whether the electrical fault could be consistent with rear-end impact forces. Third, if the other driver's insurance is pushing hard via phone, it's totally fine to just say "I'm waiting on my repair diagnosis before I make any decisions" — you don't owe them a faster timeline. Not legal advice, just process stuff I've seen come up a lot.

  • 19
    wise-finch-295

    Also — how are you feeling physically? Sometimes the adrenaline after a crash masks soreness for a day or two and then it hits you. Neck and back stuff especially. Just make sure you're not so focused on the car that you're ignoring your own body. If anything feels off, get seen before you settle anything.

    • 7
      plainspoken-co-pilot241

      Thank you both, this gave me the push I needed to make the call.

  • 5
    careful-kestrel-822

    Tell the insurance company you'll call them back when the shop gives you a full diagnostic. That's it. You're not being difficult, you're being reasonable. Anyone pressuring you to settle before you know what's broken is not acting in your interest.

    • 6
      weathered-sidewalk737

      Adding this: keep copies of every email. It mattered for me.

  • 17
    bold-badger-928

    Not doubting you, but did anything happen between the crash and day three that could have drained the battery? Like leaving a light on, a door ajar, anything like that? I'd want the shop to confirm it's actually crash-related before going to war with the insurance company. If the mechanic says it's collision damage, then yeah, full steam ahead — but get that confirmation in writing first.